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DATE=9/3/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-238100
TITLE=IRAN/WAR GAMES (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  AFTER LARGE-SCALE IRANIAN MILITARY MANEUVERS ALONG THE 
BORDER WITH AFGHANISTAN CONCLUDE, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF IRANIAN 
TROOPS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE.  SOME MILITARY ANALYSTS VIEW THE 
MOVE AS A WARNING TO AFGHANISTAN'S TALEBAN LEADERS, AS RICHARD 
ENGEL REPORTS FROM OUR MIDDLE EAST BUREAU.
TEXT:   THE COMMANDER OF IRAN'S REVOLUTIONARY GUARD SAID THE 
70-THOUSAND TROOPS CARRYING OUT MILITARY EXERCISES NEAR 
AFGHANISTAN WILL REMAIN IN THE AREA AFTER THE WAR GAMES FINISH 
FRIDAY.  THE COMMANDER SAID THE TROOP PRESENCE IS NECESSARY TO 
SAFEGUARD SECURITY IN NORTHEAST IRAN.
IRAN HAS COMPLAINED THAT ITS NORTHERN BORDER IS OFTEN VIOLATED BY
TALEBAN FORCES AND ARMED DRUG SMUGGLERS.
BUT MANY ANALYSTS IN IRAN SAY THAT THE WAR GAMES ARE AIMED AT 
SHOWING TALEBAN-LED AFGHANISTAN THE GRAVE CONSEQUENCES THAT COULD
RESULT IF IRANIAN DIPLOMATS, TRUCK DRIVERS AND A JOURNALIST -- 
WHOM THE TEHRAN GOVERNMENT BELIEVES ARE BEING HELD BY THE TALEBAN
-- ARE NOT RELEASED.
THE TALEBAN HAS CALLED THE WAR GAMES PROVOCATIVE.
IRAN SAYS TALEBAN FORCES CAPTURED THE 11 DIPLOMATS WHO WERE 
STATIONED IN THE AFGHANI TOWN, MAZAR E-SHERIF, WHEN THEY TOOK 
OVER THE TOWN IN EARLY AUGUST.
MAZAR E-SHERIF WAS THE HEADQUARTERS OF AN AFGHANI FACTION 
SUPPORTED BY IRAN THAT IS FIGHTING THE TALEBAN.
THE TALEBAN HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IT IS HOLDING AROUND 30 IRANIAN 
TRUCK DRIVERS, AND ON WEDNESDAY ORDERED THE RELEASE OF THREE IN 
AN APPARENT GESTURE OF GOODWILL.
IRAN'S FOREIGN MINISTRY THURSDAY CALLED THE OFFER INSUFFICIENT, 
BUT STOPPED SHORT OF REJECTING IT.  IRAN IS REPORTED TO HAVE 
DISPATCHED A DELEGATION TO RETRIEVE THE THREE TRUCK DRIVERS.  THE
FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID IT APPRECIATES THE RETURN OF IRANIAN 
NATIONALS WHO ARE, IN THE MINISTRY'S WORDS, HELD HOSTAGE IN 
AFGHANISTAN.
IRAN HAS ALSO ASKED THE UNITED NATIONS AND PAKISTAN, WIDELY 
BELIEVED TO SUPPLY AND SUPPORT THE TALEBAN,  TO INTERCEDE TO HELP
FREE ITS NATIONALS.
THE TALEBAN'S SUPREME LEADER, MULLAH MOHAMMED OMAR, HAS SAID THE 
GROUP DOES  NOT  KNOW THE WHEREABOUTS OF IRAN'S MISSING DIPLOMATS
OR JOURNALIST. (SIGNED)
NEB/RHE/SB/PCF
03-Sep-98 8:53 AM EDT (1253 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.